More women may want to consider requesting a prenuptial agreement

Increasingly, women in California and other states are being ordered to pay alimony and child support after a marriage has ended. Because a prenuptial agreement may limit the amount of alimony paid after a divorce, women should seriously consider having one.

Women are more financially and professionally successful than ever. In many marriages, the woman has taken on the financial responsibility and is serving as the bread winner in a relationship these days. However, the divorce rate has stayed relatively stable for the past several years, so the outcome of a divorce is shifting dramatically.

According to a survey of divorce lawyers across the county, over 50 percent of them have seen an increase in situations when a mother is ordered to pay child support. Almost half of them have identified an increase in women being ordered to pay alimony.

With increased assets at stake, more couples should discuss the possibility of outlining the financial outcome in the event of a divorce. While a prenup cannot cover child support, it can certainly go a long way in protecting each person’s financial interests.

The discussion of a prenuptial agreement may be very difficult for a couple who is planning on spending their lives together. However, it may be a necessary and beneficial conversation to have for a couple who may have significant or very different levels of assets at stake. A prenuptial agreement can include provisions for how property will be divided and what, if any, spousal support will be made in the event of a divorce.

Source: The Huffington Post, “Alimony: Women Increasingly Paying Alimony To Their Ex Husbands,” Patricia Reaney, May 10, 2012